A federal judge ruled that Google will not be required to sell off its Chrome browser or Android operating system. Judge Amit Mehta rejected the DOJ’s proposed remedies, which included forcing Google to divest Chrome, a product that plays a central role in its advertising business.

According to the ruling, "Google will not be required to divest Chrome; nor will the court include a contingent divestiture of the Android operating system in the final judgment." The court added that “plaintiffs overreached in seeking forced divestiture of these key assets, which Google did not use to effect any illegal restraints.”

The ruling follows from a major antitrust case brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ first filed its search monopoly case in 2020, pointing to Google’s control of about 90% of the online search market. Last year, Mehta ruled that Google acted illegally to maintain a monopoly in online search. Since then, regulators have pushed for measures to limit Google’s dominance across search and advertising.

Google Chrome faced potential sale as part of the proposed remedies, with rival companies showing interest. Perplexity, for instance, made an unsolicited $34.5 billion offer to acquire the browser. In April, OpenAI also said it would buy Chrome if regulators required a sale. With the judge’s ruling, Google will retain Chrome.

Court orders Google to share search data with rivals

However, Judge Mehta ordered Google to share parts of its “search index and user-interaction data” with competitors. The ruling also requires Google to “offer search and search text ad syndication services” to certain rivals. This move is intended to open the door for fairer competition in online search and advertising. 

Limits on contracts and exclusive deals

The decision also restricts Google’s use of contracts that lock in its services. The company cannot enter or maintain exclusive agreements that condition payments or licensing on the preloading or placement of Google apps such as Search, Chrome, Google Assistant, or Gemini.

The ruling further prevents Google from requiring revenue-sharing deals that tie multiple apps together or extend beyond one year. This directly affects how Google secures default placements on browsers and smartphones. For example, Google currently pays Apple billions each year to remain the default search engine on iPhones.

DOJ says the ruling opens the market

The DOJ described the decision as a step toward opening a search market that has been “frozen in place for over a decade.” In a press release, the department added that the remedies also extend to generative AI, preventing Google from applying the same tactics it used in search to dominate emerging AI markets.

Google responds with concerns

In a blog post, Google said it will comply with the court’s order but raised concerns about the impact on users. The company claimed that sharing search data with rivals could create privacy risks and said it is reviewing the ruling closely.

This case is part of a broader wave of antitrust challenges against Google. In January, another U.S. judge ruled that the company held a monopoly in advertising technology. Google has said it plans to appeal that decision.

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